1/7/2012

We received a phone call yesterday morning confirming what we already knew. The biopsy did in fact show a relapse of Jake's leukemia. There is still a lot that we do not know and a few determining factors on where we will go from here depending on how far the leukemia has spread. It is a waiting game. Monday morning we go in for his port placement. They will do a lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspirate as well. If the cancer has spread to his bone marrow, he will have an outpatient chemo treatment on Thursday. If the leukemia has only been isolated in the one spot, he will be admitted on thursday for about 5 days and begin treatments in ICS with very strong dosages of methotrexate. Treatments will last for two and a half years and will be much more intense this time around. Even if he does not end up inpatient during the first phase of therapy, he will be admitted shortly after. We are looking at 3 weeks of steroids among numerous other drugs. I stopped listening after I heard almost a full month of steroids. I am pretty sure it is my least favorite drug ever invented.

We are hanging in there. It is slowly sinking in. Very slowly. Jake is struggling much more than I had initially anticipated on. He had a good cry yesterday and seems okay today as long as he is not thinking about it. He does not want his port put back in and is worried about being able to play and run with his friends. We are giving him a little information at a time and letting him process it. I don't think he has realized that his hair is going to fall out again and stay out for much longer this time. We are going to have a huge shave your head party in the next few weeks. Whoever wants to come, please come! I will let you know the details as soon as we decide on a date and time. I am hoping it will be an easier transition if numerous people are shaving their heads--and not just his hair is going bye-bye.

I do know that as horrid as it is, we can and will do this again. Now that I am over the shock, we are ready to anticipate the blessings that we are already seeing from struggling through trials like this. There have been hundreds of prayers sent our little guys way and we could not be more grateful for the outpouring of love that has come from not only our family and friends but from people that we don't even know. We are grateful that we have the gospel and our Savior to fall back on. And things will be okay. It may get worse before it gets better, but it will get better.

We are having a fast for Jake on Sunday if you would like to participate. These next few weeks are going to be brutal on the kid and we need all the help and prayers we can get!